1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for smoothing items of clothing.
Numerous methods and apparatuses for smoothing items of clothing exist. For example, it is known to press the fabric of the item of clothing to be smoothed by pressure with a flat object. The prior art irons or ironing presses may be used for such a purpose. In addition, for smoothing sensitive items of clothing, in particular, it is known to subject them to heat and steam, whereby the fibers of an item of clothing are made to relax and, as such, the creases can be eliminated. An apparatus for applying this method is known, for example, from German Published, Non-Prosecuted Patent Application DE 3119560. However, this smoothing method disadvantageously has only a very slight smoothing effect because the fibers of the item of clothing are only made to relax and are not necessarily smoothed. In addition, the fibers of an item of clothing may become so permanently creased over time that the crease is impressed in the fiber structure such that, without being subjected to external mechanical action, the fiber in the relaxed state tends to assume the creased state. In such a case, without mechanical action, a smoothing method can achieve a smoothing effect only with the aid of steam and heat.
2. Summary of the Invention
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for smoothing items of clothing that overcome the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices and methods of this general type and that achieves an improved smoothing effect while gently treating the item of clothing to be smoothed.
With the foregoing and other objects in view, there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a method for smoothing items of clothing, including the steps of providing an item of clothing, providing at least one gas jet for supplying a stream of a gas, and subjecting the clothing item at least in one portion to the at least one gas jet in a direction not parallel to the one portion.
The use of a gas jet, which is, preferably, an air jet and exerts a force on the item of clothing to be smoothed, allows a smoothing effect to be achieved with little effort, at the same time treating the item of clothing very gently. The gas jet allows the fabric of the item of clothing to be pressed into in specific places or a tensile force to be exerted on the entire item of clothing, whereby it is stretched. As such, any creases that may exist are smoothed. The smoothing effect of the gas jet can be increased by making the fabric of the item of clothing relax before the smoothing operation or at the beginning of a smoothing operation by moistening and heating the fabric of the item of clothing. For such a purpose, water vapor can be mixed in with the gas jet and directed in this way onto the fabric. Furthermore, it is possible to sprinkle the item of clothing with water, it being possible for the water to be sprinkled by the nozzle with which the gas jet is directed onto the item of clothing, or by a nozzle of its own, which is not used for generating the gas jet.
The at least one gas jet necessarily has the effect that a force is exerted on the item of clothing. As a result, the item of clothing can be moved in a disadvantageous way, and, possibly, crumpled thereby. This can be prevented, for example, by using a gas jet having a high outflow velocity but a small diameter. Such a configuration has the overall effect of not exerting a great force on the item of clothing by the gas jet, and the clothing is, therefore, influenced little in its position. Nonetheless, a high stretching effect on the fabric can be achieved in a small area on the item of clothing, and, consequently, a high smoothing effect. In this respect it may be provided that, in the case of suspended items of clothing, the deflection caused by the gas jet is compensated at least partly by the suspension of the item of clothing being drawn slightly toward the nozzle from which the gas jet is flowing.
In accordance with another mode of the invention, the clothing item is supported from a side of the clothing item opposite the gas jet.
The item of clothing is, advantageously, supported while it is subjected to the gas jet. The item of clothing can, consequently, be prevented from being moved by the force of the gas jet. Furthermore, this allows a stronger gas jet to be used and, consequently, a better smoothing effect to be achieved. The support may take place by fixed supports, such as, for example, at least one supporting surface. If the item of clothing is moved, for example, by running through a number of treatment stations, such supports may also be set up such that they can be moved along with the item of clothing. For example, at least one supporting roller mounted rotatably about an axis aligned substantially perpendicularly to the direction of movement of the item of clothing may be used.
In accordance with a further mode of the invention, the item of clothing is supported by a gas jet. In such an embodiment, the item of clothing is subjected to at least one gas jet from both sides. As such, impressions in the fabric that may occur in the case of fixed supports can be avoided. Furthermore, the smoothing effect is intensified because a force from a gas jet is exerted from both sides.
In accordance with an added mode of the invention, the clothing item is supported with an air-permeable supporting surface.
In accordance with an additional mode of the invention, the clothing item is disposed between two air-permeable surfaces.
In accordance with yet another mode of the invention, the gas jet acts on both sides of the item of clothing to exert a total force on the clothing item that is equal in an amount in opposing directions.
In accordance with yet a further mode of the invention, the gas jet exerts a force on both sides of the item of clothing such that a total force on the clothing item is equal in opposing directions.
The gas jets acting from both sides may be coordinated with one another, in particular, such that the portion of the item of clothing situated in between is deformed in a specific manner in order to achieve a good smoothing result. For such a purpose, the force exerted from both sides by the gas jets may be distributed over a specific surface area in each case with a non-uniform force distribution. The force distributions over the surface areas on both sides may be set differently so that, in one portion of the item of clothing, the force exerted on the portion from a first side is greater than the force exerted from the other side and, in a portion lying alongside, the force exerted from the second side predominates. As such, the item of clothing can be deformed in a defined way so that, for example, it assumes a crinkled form, or elevations to one side or the other form in the item of clothing. For example, a gas jet that widens conically and is internally hollow may be used from one side, with the result that it exerts a force in an annular area on the surface of the item of clothing, and a gas jet that generates force exclusively in a small punctiform or circular area is used from the other side, the punctiform or circular area being located within the annular area of the force exerted from the opposite side. Such a configuration has the effect that the fabric of the item of clothing is stretched and smoothed between the annular area and the punctiform or circular area lying in it. Instead of a punctiform or circular surface pressure of the one gas jet, a substantially linear surface pressure may also be chosen. Generally, force effect acting in different directions in adjacent areas allows the fabric to be stretched and smoothed in these areas.
In accordance with yet an added mode of the invention, the forces acting from both sides may be coordinated such that the item of clothing is held in a specific local area and, in particular, the item of clothing is prevented from coming into unwanted contact with other parts, whereby soiling or crumpling can be prevented. Because the force of a gas jet used decreases as it becomes more distant from the nozzle, the configuration, alignment, and outflow characteristics of nozzles lying opposite one another and directed toward one another can create a control system that attempts to keep the items of clothing at a specific location between the nozzles.
In this respect, however, it may also be provided that the location of the item of clothing or of a portion of the item of clothing is sensed and the sensed location is used as an input variable of a control system, which controls the gas jets acting on the item of clothing from different sides such that the item of clothing or the portion of the item of clothing is always located at a predetermined set location or set locational area. The location sensing may be carried out by light barriers or reflection light barriers, it also being possible for other methods of distance measurement or location sensing, for example, by ultrasound, to be used.
The interaction of the forces exerted on the item of clothing from both sides and the force distribution over the surface area allows the fabric of the item of clothing to be stretched in a gentle but, at the same time, forcible way, and, consequently, to achieve a great smoothing effect. In this respect, the force distribution and/or the total force exerted from the individual sides may be varied over time so that a changing deformation is achieved, which may have advantageous effects on the smoothing operation.
In accordance with yet an additional mode of the invention, the at least one gas jet and the clothing item are moved with respect to one another.
In accordance with again another mode of the invention, a heated gas stream is supplied with the at least one gas jet.
In accordance with again a further mode of the invention, water vapor is supplied with the gas stream from the at least one gas jet.
In accordance with again an added mode of the invention, at the end of a smoothing operation of the clothing item, substantially dry and heated air is initially supplied to the clothing item with the at least one gas jet and substantially dry and non-heated air is subsequently supplied to the clothing item with the at least one gas jet.
In accordance with again an additional mode of the invention, the clothing item is initially moistened.
In accordance with still another mode of the invention, the clothing item is moistened before subjecting the clothing item to the at least one gas jet.
In accordance with still a further mode of the invention, at least one of an outflow speed, a volume flow, and a directional distribution of the at least one gas jet is changed when subjecting the clothing item to the gas stream of the at least one gas jet.
With the objects of the invention in view, there is also provided a method for smoothing items of clothing, including the steps of providing an item of clothing, providing at least one gas jet for supplying a stream of a gas, and directing the gas stream towards at least one portion of the clothing item at an angle to the one portion.
With the objects of the invention in view, there is also provided an apparatus for smoothing items of clothing, including a treatment housing defining a treatment space therein, devices disposed in the housing for placing an item of clothing inside the treatment space, a blower for generating a gas flow, and nozzles communicating with the blower for generating a gas stream in the housing, the nozzles being disposed in the housing and being aligned to direct the gas stream generated by the gas flow from the blower at the clothing item.
In accordance with still an added feature of the invention, there is provided a moistening device communicating with at least one of the nozzles for moistening the gas stream.
In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, the nozzles are aligned to direct the gas stream at an angle to the clothing item, in other words, the nozzles are aligned to direct the gas stream to at least a portion of the clothing item in a direction not parallel to the portion of the clothing item.
Other features that are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a method and apparatus for smoothing items of clothing, it is, nevertheless, not intended to be limited to the details shown because various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.